Is it possible for the UK to have a 'normal' relationship with Russia?

Question

Surely, when one country thinks it's OK to send 'agents' to another, for the purpose of committing murder and causing mayhem, then that country should be placed beyond the pale, and should be shunned until they admit the error of their ways and apologise for their actions.
You only have to look at the problems caused by certain middle-eastern countries who harbour and sponsor terrorism for their own ends - and don't bring religion into it - it has nothing to do with religion and all to do with power!

I posed the question on a day when a Russian official prompted for a 'normal' relationship to be resumed.
I find the personal comments by certain respondents very disappointing. When anyone stoops to personal insult in any debate, then they've lost.
I thought the response in Cyrillic was amusing, at first, but once I translated it I was again disappointed by the narrow, nationalistic view it propounded.

Answer 1

I don't think we need to have any kind of relationship with a government that sends its agents to this country, to roam around our capital city with some kind of radioactive material, with the intention of murdering one of their own citizens

Answer 2

The tensions between the UK and Russia are long and deep-rooted. When the Russian economy collapsed, at the end of the CCCP, after the embrace of democracy and a capitalist system replaced the centrally planned economy, a few people made very large amounts of money at the expense of the rest: the Oligarchs.
During the 80s (to the present day) alot of them moved to London, this enraged and embarrassed the Krelim as alot of them became outspoken critics of the Krelim its version of Russian democracy claiming it was too authoritarian.
The tensions were then revived because of Alex Litvinenko's murder, now a British citizen, by a Russian agent in London. The British, now, want to extradite the agent for prosecution but under Russian law they cannot do so. This has lead the British to criticise the Russians, however, this, maybe, slightly hypocritical because the Russians have wanted to extradite Chechen rebels residing in Britain for years, but, the British are bound by the Human Rights Convention because there is sufficient grounds to suggest that they will be subjected to police brutality whilst interrogated.
The Russians made the situation worse by forcing BP, the British oil giant, to sell its joint venture in Russia to Gazprom, the Russian state owned energy corp. They claimed that BP was not using the oil fields appropriately and was keeping crude oil prices unnecessarily high. The British government reacted by telling British companies not to invest in Russia, and prompted other EU governments to do the same; this would be devastating for the Russian economy because it is primarily built on foreign investment: Britain being its no. 1 investor.
The latest incident occurred when it was revealed that the Kremlin sent another agent to kill Boris Berezovsky, an outspoken critic of the Putin administration. In response, the British government announced the expulsion of 4 Russian diplomats (intelligence officers) from London. The Kremlin condemned this move and said it would have "serious consequences" ,and in turn threatened to expel almost eighty British diplomats from Moscow.
One of the countries is going to have to back down, through what I have written it seems to me that Britain has the upper hand in as much as if things got really serious Britain would have the support of the EU and the USA, but, to ask if we would ever have a "normal" relationship with 'the old bear' is one only time will tell.

Answer 3

Do you really think the UK has never sent spies/agents etc to another country with the intention of "eliminating" some one/thing?

This is an old game being played out here that had gone a little quiet of late. A few years ago it was a regular occurance and now it has popped up again those either not old enough to remember the cold war or with short memories seem to think it is a drastic event.

Answer 4

You have a very naive view of the way of the world. Many European countries have their own `007' types its just they are not so blatant and easily found-out as these ex Russian spies seem to have been. Anyway, do not believe everything you read in the press, I very much doubt if Putin personally ordered this hit, it was probably one of his well meaning `friends'. Had the Russian state really wanted these murders I am certain it would have been handled far more efficiently - more like the way Mossad of Israel do it.

Answer 5

The problem with Russia is that many in the nation believe the Cold War is still going on. The rest of the world with the exception of Cuba and North Korea also ended the Cold War in 1991.

Europe wants Russia to be friends with it, but the Russians do not want to take part in the post-Cold War unified European experiment.

Answer 6

Our relatinoship with Russia is now no more abnormal than it has ever been. Putin is a "good geyser" and we should support him by sending back parasites like Berezhovsky and anyone else they want. Not much hope of that, though, whole we give aid and comfort to Al Quaida et al..

Answer 7

And Britain is harbouring known Chechen terrorists that Russia wants sent to them.

How can this Government expect Russia to send the person they want when they won`t do the honours?

Answer 8

No! No country can have a normal relationship with Russia it's establishment is paranoid. I understand the average Ivan is OK

Answer 9

Никак вы околпачиваете, Россия никогда не будете содружественны к Британия, мы столкнетесь.
Будет могущественный сражением, но British будут господствовать победоносно.

Answer 10

Russia will never be a friend to UK,cos Brits lick fat Americans *** like dogs! Isn't it?
That will be enough 1 nuclear missile for this small island.
Don't fly so high!